Improving wet and dry strength properties of recycled old corrugated carton (OCC) pulp using various polymers

► Applications of chitosan, cationic starch and poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) were investigated ► Tensile strength of handsheets was significantly affected by the addition of polymeric agents ► Enhancing effect of additives on dry tensile property was much higher than wet condition ► The best results in wet and dry tensile strengths were achieved using sequential of PVA-ChI-CS.